Japan: Curran Chan upsets males in Sprinters Stakes

The 4-year-old filly Curran Chan won her fourth consecutive race, and first Group 1, beating males in the $2.4 million Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan on Sunday.

Rocket Man, the winner of the $2 million Golden Shaheen for sprinters in Dubai in March, could only finish fourth as the heavy favorite.

Curran Chan, a 10-1 shot, finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of Pas De Trois in the race over six furlongs on firm turf. The race was delayed approximately six minutes after the longshot B B Guldan broke through the gate before the start, unseated his jockey, and ran loose on the track.

Curran Chan avoided the trouble that plagued fifth-place finisher Lucky Nine, a shipper from Hong Kong who was bumped by Pas De Trois midway through the race.

Curran Chan, a 4-year-old Japanese-bred filly by Kurofune, won one Group 2 and two Group 3 races in Japan in April, July, and August.